Traffic-regulator.



E. BRAKEY. TRAFFIC REGULATOR. APPLICATION F|LED AUG- 1| 1916.

Patented Oct. 22, 1918.

IN vz/vro/a ROBERT E. BRAKEY. 0F VENTURA, CALIFORNIA.

TRAFFIC-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 119%.

Application filed August 1, 1916. Serial No. 112,546.

' To all whom it may concern: 4

Be it known that I, ROBERT E. BRAKE a citizen of the United States, residing at Ventura, in the county of Ventura and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Traffic-Regulators, of which the-following is a specification. I

This invention relatesto a traffic regulator and particularly pertains to a resiliently supported traflic regulating semaphore adapted to be used at street intersections to indicate the directions of travel therefrom.

It has been common practice in many cities to place a vertical semaphore standard at the intersections of street crossings with suitable semaphore arms thereupon to indicate direction of travel. These standards have in most instances been rigidly held and were often damaged by vehicles accidentally striking them. It is the principal object of this invention to provide means for securing the standard in a vertical position under normal conditions and to allow it to yield when struck by a vehicle thus permitting the vehicle to pass by without damage to the standard or vehicle.

Another object is to provide a standard which will instantly return to its normal vertical position when the pressure of the vehicle against it has been removed.

Another object is to provide a simple protecting means which is adapted to protect the internally positioned resilient member from becoming damaged when the standard is in a horizontal or angular position.

Another object is to provide the standard with a series of outwardly extending semaphore members which will be drawn within the standard in an automatic manner as the standard is moved from its vertical position and thus will protect them from damage as well as allow the standard to beforoed fiat upon the pavement if necessity requires.

which Figure 1 is a view in vertical section as taken through the center of. the semaphore standard and its base plate and particularly illustrates the normal position of the vital parts of the device as well as a dotted line position in which the device is shown as disposed at an angle to the vertical.

Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section illustrating the semaphore operating element disposed at the lower end of the standard.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective disclosing the operative position of the semaphore at a street intersection.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 10 indicates a tubular semaphore standard which is here shown as closed at its upper end and open at its lower end. The lower end of the standard is adapted to bear upon a base plate 11 which is suitably secured within the surface of the pavement. The base plate 11 is formed with a vertically extending frusto-conical core 12 which is closed at its upper end and there is formed in the configuration of a hemisphere. An opening is made through the spherical end for the reception of a semaphore operating cable 23. The core 12 is adapted to extend upwardly within the open lower end of the standard 10 and is surrounded by ahelical spring 13 which is secured thereto in a suita .le manner and extends upwardly. within the standard to a point adJacent a clamping plate 14 to which it is adjustably secured by eye bolts 15 which extend downwardly through the plate and are secured to the end of the spring. The length of the spring intervening between the base plate and clamping plate is sufiicient to maintain the standard in an upright position and to allow it proper resiliency to be forced from the perpendicular to a' horizontal or intermediate position.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that a series of semaphore arms 16 are pivotally mounted upon pins 17--within the upper end of the standard and that the arms extend radially therefrom through longitudinal slots 18 in the wall of the standard. These arms normally extend horizontally and are positioned to indicate the paths of travel emanating from a street intersection. It is however desirable to draw the arms 16 into the casing at times when the standard is moved from its vertical position. This is accomplished by means of a rigid actuating rod 19 which is formed with an eye 20 at its upper end adaptedto be engaged by connecting links 21, one of which is secured to the end of each of the arms 16. The other end of the rod 19 is formed with an enlarged portion '22 which normally is seated upon the upper face of the core 12. Suitably secured within the portion 22 is the depending flexible cable 23 to the' lower end of which is connected a weight 24 for a purpose hereafter to be described. The weight 24 is adapted to move within the core 12 which is hollow and a pit 25 formed below the plate 11.

In operation, the standard will normally be maintained in avertical position due to the action of the spring 13 as it draws downwardly upon the clamping plate 14 and seats the standard upon the plate 11 in a firm manner. Simultaneous with this action is the action of the actuating rod 19 which is formed to bear by its enlarged portion 22 upon the upper face of the. core 12, the rod and its links being of the proper length to maintain the semaphore armsin horizontal alinement. .lVhemby a cause, the standard 10 is struck it will instantly yield and swing away from the object striking it. This movement is al- .lowed by the resiliency of the spring 13 standard, a flexible cable at this time will allow angular movement of the arm19 without binding and will also compensate for the movement of the semaphore arms away from the core. Return movement of the standard will cause the enlarged portion 22 of rod 19 to be brought to bear against the cone and force the arms outwardly to their horizontal position.

It will be noted that the time the semaphore standard is swung away from its vernaling position and that it will yield from external pressure to prevent damage to' itself or tothe object which has encountered it and that while so yielding it will automati cally draw its semaphore arms into concealed positions thereafter returning them to their normal positions as the standard returns to the vertical.

I claim:.

A traflic-regulator, comprising a tubular upright standard, a base upon which said standard rests, a resilient member adapted to secure the standard upon its base and permitting the standard to swing from the vertical, a series of semaphore arms pivotally mounted within the upper end of said standard and adapted to extend outwardly therefrom, means for swinging-the arms to a shielded position within the standard as said standard is swung from the vertical,

means for returning the arms to their out-.

wardly extending positions when the standard returns to its normal vertical position, and means for protecting the lower end of the resilient member when uncovered by the lower end of the swinging standard.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ROBERT E. BRAKEY. 

